System and method for generating a discharge in gases

1. A device for generating an electrical discharge in a gas sealed within an enclosure having a dielectric wall, said device comprising:

an elongated electrically conducting housing;

a dielectric cap enclosing one end of said housing;

an electrically conducting wire forming a helix axially positioned within said housing, said wire forming an electrode at one end positioned proximate said dielectric cap and having an RF power receiving tap near an other end; and

an RF power source connected to said tap and providing RF power to generate an RF field in proximity to the electrode having sufficient strength to effect a discharge in the gas sealed within the enclosure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a length of the wire between the electrode and the tap is about one quarter a wavelength of the RF power.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein a voltage of the RF power at the electrode is at least twenty times greater than the voltage of the RF power at the tap.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the voltage of the RF power at the electrode is at least one hundred times greater than the voltage of the RF power at the tap.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said dielectric cap comprises teflon.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing comprises an electrically conducting generally cylindrical wall.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said electrode extends through said dielectric cap and connects to an electrically conducting element positioned external to said housing.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said electrically conducting element includes a concave surface.

9. A system for generating a discharge in the gaseous content of a vessel, said system comprising:

a vessel having a dielectric wall;

one or more gasses contained in said vessel;

an RF generator for generating an RF field sufficient to effect a discharge in said gas, said generator comprising:

an RF power source; and

a helical coil resonator, said resonator being connected at one end to said RF power source and forming an electrode at an other end thereof, said electrode being external to said vessel and in sufficient proximity to said dielectric wall of said vessel to establish a discharge in said gas.

10. The system of claim 9 comprising a plurality of vessels each having a dielectric wall and a gaseous content, each of said vessels being positioned in sufficient proximity to said electrode to establish a discharge in the gas contained in said vessel.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein a pressure of the gas contained in said vessel in at least 20 torr.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the pressure of the gas contained in said vessel in at least 50 torr.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein a portion of the dielectric wall of said vessel is positioned within about 2 cm from said electrode.

14. A system for atomic emission spectroscopic analysis of the gaseous content of a vessel, said system comprising:

one or more vessels having a dielectric wall and containing a gaseous content;

a device for generating an electric discharge in the gaseous content of said vessel, said device comprising:

an elongated electrically conducting housing;

a dielectric cap enclosing one end of said housing;

an electrically conducting wire forming a helix axially positioned within said housing, said wire forming an electrode at one end positioned proximate and an other end of said housing enclosed by said dielectric cap and having an RF power receiving tap near the other end;

an RF power source connected to said tap; and

a spectrophotometer,

wherein said vessel is positioned in sufficient proximity to said electrode so that the RF field generated at the electrode effects a discharge in the gaseous content of said vessel.

15. The system of claim 14 comprising a plurality of vessels each positioned in sufficient proximity to said electrode so that the RF field generated at the electrode effects a discharge in the gaseous content of said vessels.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said electrode extends through said dielectric cap and connects to an electrically conducting element.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said electrically conducting element includes a vessel supporting portion having a curved surface.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said electrically conducting element includes a vessel supporting portion having a v-shaped groove.

19. The system of claim 16 comprising a plurality of vessels each positioned in sufficient proximity to said electrically conducting element so that the RF field generated at the element effects a discharge in the gaseous content of said vessels.

20. A system for atomic emission spectroscopic analysis of the gaseous content of a vessel, said system comprising:

one or more vessels having a dielectric wall and containing a gaseous content;

a device for generating an electric discharge in the gaseous content of said vessel, said device comprising:

a generally cylindrical electrically conducting housing;

a dielectric cap enclosing one end of said housing;

an electrically conducting wire forming a helix axially positioned within said housing, said wire forming an electrode at one end extending through said dielectric cap and having an RF power receiving tap near the other end;

an electrically conducting element connected to said electrode, said element being positioned on an external surface of said dielectric cap and having a vessel supporting portion having a curved surface;

an RF power source connected to said tap;

a spectrophotometer; and

a fiber optic for transporting light emitted from said vessel to said spectrophotometer,

wherein said one or more vessels are positioned in sufficient proximity to said electrically conducting element so that the RF field generated at the electrode effects a discharge in the gaseous content of said vessels.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said vessel is supported by said curved surface of said electrically conducting element.

22. The system of claim 20 where a plurality of vessels are supported on the external surface of said dielectric cap.